With more horse-power than the Grand National, the U.I.M. Powerboat P1 World Championship arrives in Malta between tomorrow and Sunday for the 2005 Portomaso Grand Prix and promises exhilarating action, glamour and highly competitive world class racing.
An international line-up of 15 boats and teams from across Europe, including pilots from Italy, UK, France, Austria and Switzerland, will assemble in Grand Harbour, Valletta for the opening two rounds of the World Championship.
Local interests will be represented by the Ciantar duo, Aaron and Audrienne, racing a 38 footer, built by Chaudron Powerboats at their performance boat factory in Malta. In 2004 the Chaudron Team competed in the Grand Prix and brought trophies home to Malta by earning two runners-up positions.
The Powerboat P1 race village, is situated within the breathtaking backdrop of the Grand Harbour Valletta. Boats, teams, organisers and the international media will assemble in Malta for the official test session tomorrow.
Round one of the Portomaso Grand Prix of Malta 2005 starts on Saturday at 3pm, when thousands of spectators are expected to line the coast from the Grand Harbour Valletta, through Sliema and up towards Madliena Tower. Spectators will be able to witness the race boats off Sliema coast from 2.15pm before they head back past the Portamoso Turn to the pre-race muster area.
With two minutes to go a sky flare will alert the P1 Teams of the imminent start to the Grand Prix. The boats will turn and follow the Start Boat at speed past Sliema towards the start line in front of the Portomaso Tower and then they’re off!
The P1 Teams will multi-lap along the coast before heading off at high speed to circumnavigate Malta in an anti-clockwise circuit, powering across the finish line at Portomaso. All the teams will be trying to break the world record set by P1 Team Thuraya in 2004. Sunday’s Rally Circuit Race will also start at 3pm, with boats leaving the Grand Harbour just after 2pm.
Powerboat P1 is spectator friendly and the courses have been carefully designed to ensure that the public can watch the action and experience the thrill of top-level motorsport. The best vantage points are likely to be along the Sliema Promenade.